diprey11's Profile

Guys, I hear you--and sometimes I do feel upset about some statements made. But when he's right he's right.

As per the Zabb clientele. There is, for instance, a very charming African-American couple who visit regularly. They are certainly not Thai, I am quite sure of that :-) but they do enjoy eating out and they know and love the place, and I am perfectly happy to ask them for recommendations. Do we really have to be Thai-born in order to understand and enjoy their ethnic food?

On the other hand, does knowledge count at all? given that everyone has got their own opinion on everything under the sun... You can't really argue about tastes either, not even when they get generalized into a maxim. Sometimes an assertion gets backed up by a sheer number of opinions from Yelp, which is just a site for popular votes (there can be no review there without giving a grade). So I was wondering if the majority argument can be used to prove every claim.

Playground is next door to Zabb, a waitress there told me they had the same owner. The place is very authentic Isaan/Lao and is seriously good **if** you order right, yet it's somewhat underrated. (A great choice, and the same sentiment applies to The Thailand Center Point: if you are not intimately familiar with the cuisine please talk to your waitress and listen carefully.)

They have quite a few dishes that reflect a folksy coastal Chinese view on what the Thai food is supposed to be like, let alone obligatory seafood noodles--not bad actually! but anything with roast meat is horrible! I am sad that most non-Thai people who come there would ask for crunchy-fried grasshoppers, red ant larvae, or other exotics. They also have a great karaoke room downstairs. Yes, that business is a keeper.

But do try the place next door and see if you can spot any difference in the quality of cooking. :-)

There are cultural differences. Chinese people tend to over-order since there should be no empty spots on the table (otherwise it looks cheap) and it's so easy--and perfectly acceptable--to get the remaining food to go: in fact, your waiter should always-always ask you, even about the white rice.

So, how about two main dishes and one appetizer? That should be plenty of food for a couple. Please note that vegetables is considered a separate dish (and is priced as a main), not a side order.

What have you tried, for chrissake? I'd agree that, in order to avoid fusion food (not that it's bad!), you might want to skip restaurants where native culture carriers--such as waiters--won't go; provided you realize that they tend to prefer cheaper places.

But the problem is: how are you qualified to judge??? Especially if you have never heard of Ayada. (They used to run a board of household jobs for new Thai immigrants.)

I hear you about Shake Shack, but--as with every American burger--strict moderation is needed; same with authentic Indian or Bangladeshi food.

My body is very sensitive to unhealthy food, and I lived in Mumbai for a while. I lost weight and I felt real great while nibbling on some fantastic Indian street food (supposedly high on fat, carbs, and sometimes cholesterol) almost every day. What I learned was an Indian art of discipline, balance, and listening to your body needs. I spent hours asking Marathi people on how their food was supposed to be, and I may assure you it's not the McD way.

You said you had spent some time in SiChuan, so you surely know their food is fried and oily: not the healthiest food around, especially if eaten by the ton. :-)

Nope, not roast baby pig; not anymore, sigh... They were always second--in my book--to a place across the street that has closed down; and they have kept their second spot. ;-)A steady sad decline to horrible that was making me mad over the past 4 years. Shrimp paste added to their noodle soup base, fork-roast pork falling apart, roast duck dried to a cardboard consistency, etc

I would strongly object to an idea of ordering XLB at 456. It is one of my most favorite restaurants in the area, but--with all due respect--their XLB are probably carved of wood, definitely secondary to Joe's Ginger (not that I am willing to eat there). We shared a table with a couple who ordered XLBs and I watched them (yes, it's got to be porn--food porn--and it surely was sadistic.) HePing is order of magnitude better, yet very uneven.

Unfortunately, the last specialized soup place on Bayard has closed down, so you will have to ask the staff--clearly not an easy task. Amazing 66 had decent soups a while ago, but cannot be quite sure about these days. Also, I'd check out Fuleen (but not Oriental Garden). While 27 Sunrise advertized it, but I would be somewhat skeptical. Perhaps, inquiring at Fujianese restaurants might be not such a bad idea. Sorry: not a particularly good selection.

If you made it to Flushing, why settle on PG? Korean food offerings are obsessively ultra-specialized: why not just pick the very best, celebrate the quality, pay up the costs (not overly expensive, for those who want to know), and simply leave AYCE to Manhattan :-)

Sriracha, whether it is fully authentic or not, is not an Indian-style condiment. I'd rather get chocolates. I had the same issue last year. :-)

Based on my experience, it is totally irrelevant if the recipients are US-expats: one can get the top-quality, authentic Singaporean condiments in Mumbai any time of the day. Still not very popular with locals.

One thing that I found all the rage in India (sorry: not very practical unless you are doing it wholesale) is Western berries. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are all popular--and heavily advertized to the middle class--especially with the divine Indian heavy dairy cream. The climate is just too tropical, so the berries, while looking absolutely stunning (oh boy! you should really see that in the Mapro estate in Maharashtra!), taste much like the stuff from KeyFood.

You certainly can--and I have done so--but I suggest you play it by the ear and don't offer it first. Reserving two weeks in advance for a group of 20 is way more than sufficient, unless you are planning to reserve the whole dining room.

If you decide to go over the menu with the manager two weeks prior or to order from the banquet menu--as you will be suggested to--a deposit will be expected. Otherwise there are no set rules, so unless you are planning to change your mind at the last moment, feel free to impress them.

But... would you need that? are you planning a very special banquet? are there any savvy guests intricately familiar with subtleties of the Cantonese seafood menu who you MUST impress? or do you just want to avoid blunders and not be taken for a ride?

I totally agree, but I don't know what kind of impression the OP got from reading the reviews.

A public review site is always a mixed bag. Some people will get upset by a glitch in service, some will be unlucky to hit an off-day and then overgeneralize, some would not order right or have fairly strange ideas about the cuisine, etc. As I said, nothing extraordinary. :-)